The Bookstore
by LovelyMasoka
Summary: AU. Gajevy. It was just a silly job to Gajeel, working at a book store of all things, until he took an unusual interest in a short recurring customer.


I like AUs for my pairings and I thought a Book store au (kinda like a coffee shop Au in away?) would be perfect for these two. So yeah, its' going to be multichapter and I hope to do it justice.

I hope you enjoy! Thank you!

Gajeel and Levy (c) Masima

* * *

Gajeel never took any interest in the customers that came into the store, barely paying attention to what they even bought unless it caught his eye or was actually shocking. To him this was just a job to earn him money, nothing more and nothing less. So it surprised himself (and to Lily's amusement when he told him at the bar that night) that he had recognized her, or later realizing that he had started to look at the clock when she didn't come in at her usual time, or the fact he would give her a 'smile' or actually answer her attempts at small talk, watching how she smiled and closed her eyes or talking excitedly on her phone to 'Lu-chan'.

Gajeel felt like a creep.

'_You like_ _her' _is what Lily had said, laughing his ass off at Gajeel's sour expressions, moving away from his lackluster punch as he giggled grabbing Gajeel's arm. _'Talk to her, she obviously thinks something of you since she keeps coming to that bookstore'._

It was a shitty bookstore and she bought something every time she came, making Gajeel wonder why someone who obviously was a reader, or liked books wouldn't go to one of the better places. But at the thought Gajeel pushed away, frowning as he downed his drink as he sat back down, ignoring the other man's laughter, and then the change of conversation to how Juvia had finally gotten a date with someone named 'Fullbuster' but Gajeel didn't care, she had a habit of scaring guys away so it was useless learning the idiots name who got sucked into her.

Then again could he judge that woman considering how he was obsessing over a shrimp who had no name at the moment?

* * *

The next day he looked around the shitty bookstore, his red eyes drinking in details he never paid attention to before. It wasn't that bad as he thought it was, could be considered 'cozy' since not many people were there. Then, as usual, his eyes looked up at the clock, it was 3 pm and she should be entering at any moment….

Ding!

He watched as she ran in, heavy winter coat swallowing her almost as she panted. Going to one of the tables and dropping her stuff, and then gone to one of the aisles. It was then Gajeel heard the loud shouts of a name 'Levy-chan!" very excited voices and he instantly hated them, glaring at the noise.

"You sure she came in here Jet?" the fat one grumbled, chewing on something. Gajeel glared, burning holes into them.

"yes" the lanky one stretched, annoyed, "Droy I did, she's not that hard to lose! This is your fault anyway, confessing to her like that again after our deal!" the fat one looked down, discoursed and Gajeel smirked, head resting on his hand, amused at all this and felt something knowing the fact that if the shrimp and 'levy-chan' were one and the same…..

He shook his head then, eyes wide at the sudden thought, what the fuck was wrong with him? The woman's creepiness was really rubbing on him. He took a deep breath and moved looking at the window behind him and then leaning down, the drama was quieting down as the two idiots sat at one of the tables, still arguing, he should get some work done.

Later he would notice how he never noticed her, wondering if he was really that far out of his mind that he never heard the small breathing or the small ball of heat near his leg. But it would be questions that would best come later when he was now on his haunches, picking up books that needed to be shelved and then stopping as he saw the movement from the corner of his eyes and slowly turning to see _her. _

Everything stopped then, went hazy and Gajeel was sure he didn't breathe as he looked at her. Her skin pale, and blue hair wild from the usual headband she seemed to wear, nose and cheeks pink from the cold and huddled in a huge sweater that swallowed her, and wearing a skirt and tights, knees to her chest and eyes closed.

It was her, and he now had a name to the face.

In that thought her eyes, which were brown, snapped open and they connected with his red ones, and a smile came on her lips and then tighten as she pushed a finger to her lips in a shushing movement, her small hand (very small what the hell) touched his arm (it burned).

Minuets passed and he then heard the idiots talk and the ding of the bell as they left. Everything stalled between them and no one moved before, slowly Gajeel shifted away from her sitting beside her their legs touching slightly (it burned again) and he watched her from his peripheral vision, his mind running a mile a minute just wondering what she was doing, what HE was doing for fucks sake, and why he hadn't demanded her away or gotten up. A part of him argued this, but another didn't care wondering just what she had on her mind, and it wasn't like there was anyone in the store, it ate up time he would spend just staring at a magazine or the wall.

During those moments Gajeel burned her image in his mind, blue short hair with a bright orange headband pushing back, which had a orangn-ish flower on it, black winter coat swallowing her up and black tights and that's when Gajeel looked away, face burning (he really was turning into a creep, it was that fucking rain woman's fault sharing an apartment with her and Lily was the worst life choice he ever made) before she finally spoke.

"I'm….sorry about that." Her voice was soft and light, but not nervous as he looked at her, face flush and brown eyes wide as she smiled, leaning towards him and touching his arm.

"Were they chasing you?" voice ruff, wondering if he should have scared them off. Two guys chasing a girl like that was always trouble. But she shook her head no, smiling and looking down.

"It was my own fault, I should have just talked to them but…" she looked up, her hand waving it off and Gajeel nodded, his arms crossing on his chest and leg sticking out as he looked up. It had started to snow he noticed, but he still didn't move and neither did she.

It was awkward to say the least.

Suddenly she sat up with a start, making Gajeel jump slightly at the shock as she suddenly ran. Slowly he sat up behind the counter, watching her with wide red eyes as she rummaged through a bag that was wider than her, it was like something in a book his foster father read him, of small people using things too big for them. He noticed the huge winter coat was off, and she was wearing a school uniform, jeez it was like the world was making it sure he knew how much of a creep he was, 'Fairy High' it said, and the name ran a bell in his head, Igneel's kid went there.

"I…" she slammed a book on the counter, it was huge and he looked up at her, wondering if he should explain that he didn't really know any of this stuff. "I…" she swallowed, and looked at him again, her expression serious now. "I need your help on something."

"Hey now, listen shrimp." Her eyes widen at that, as she was opened her mouth and Gajeel held his hands up in front of him. "I don't much about this kind of shit." her shoulders slumped and he could literally feel Lily's glare and slap against the back of his head for this wasted opportunity. But it didn't last long before she looked up at him in new determination and a sly smile if he ever saw one.

"Even so I need your help…anyone else…" she shrugged, "I came in her enough and I know that it has to be you." She smiled, like she was holding something back, but he ignored it as she stared at her out stretched hand, "It will be worth your time!" Gajeel studied her and shrugged reaching out and grabbing it (it really was small and smooth, making him wonder if his callouses bothered her) and pumped it up and down.

"Sure got nothing better to do. Gajeel Redfox."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Levy McGarden" her voice sweet and soft.

Gajeel crossed his arms again, giving her a smirk, "So what exactly is it in for me anyway?" kicking himself for not asking beforehand, like he always did; Especially when the next words came out of her pretty little mouth.

"Treasure!" brown eyes gleamed as she opened the huge book and Gajeel stared at her wide eye.

What the hell did he get himself into.


End file.
